Announcing Our 2024 Creators Grant Recipients
The Very Asian Foundation is thrilled to announce our 2024 Creators Grant recipients. Each grantee was awarded a one-time $1,000 grant to support their creative projects, representing various artistic disciplines and backgrounds. This year we were able to award an additional grant through the support of King Arthur Baking. By supporting these talented individuals, we hope to create a positive impact on the lives of these creators and the communities they represent, shining a light on their stories.
King Arthur Baking Recipient
Pa Houa Vang
Pa Houa Vang, a mother and founder of MochiUnni, is also the Director of Volunteer Programs at SecureFutures. With a passion for baking, she transitioned from home baking to launching MochiUnni with her sister in Milwaukee. After her sister's departure in 2023, Pa Houa became the sole owner and aims to establish the first mochi bakery in Milwaukee, expanding her business and opening a physical store soon.
@mochiunnimke
Eunice Chen
Eunice Chen is a Taiwanese American filmmaker and concept artist. Prior to switching careers, she was an elementary teacher for nearly a decade.
Eventually, her love for art and storytelling compelled her to chase after her dream of working as a professional artist. Today, she is an artist and designer in animation and a children’s book illustrator. In her spare time, you can find her working on her short animated film Táng.
@eunicesketches
Jayson Ramos
At 24 years old, Jayson Ramos left his corporate job to pursue a traveling chef dream. He ran a Filipino cuisine pop-up restaurant called Bintana before training in Hawaii under Chef Ed Kenney. Jayson aims to use local ingredients to feed the community and bring people together through food and conversation. His message to us is: live full, eat well, try Bintana.
Frances Rubio
Frances "Frankie" Rubio, an independent filmmaker with a background in media and advertising, focuses on narrative and documentary projects highlighting marginalized stories related to identity, migration, and socioeconomic issues. Her works include the film "HERSELVES" and the documentary "RECORDING FOR DODIE," and “WIDOW’S PIQUE”. These works have revived multiple screenplay recognition. Frankie teamed up with Mel Mah to co-found Decorum Pictures. They are involved in initiatives to diversify the film and TV industry by focusing on promoting underrepresented voices.
Akiko Sampson
Akiko Sampson, a music enthusiast, owns Psychic Eye Records, with experience in piano, voice, synths, and bass. They have toured internationally, recorded with bands, and now teach voice and piano. While teaching, they emphasize full-body mindfulness. With 25 years of experience as a mentor, they believe everyone can sing and play an instrument.
Pa N. Vue | Paj Hnub Vwj
Pa Nou Vue (Paj Hnub Vwj) came to the U.S. when she was five years old. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Berkeley where she researches Hmong language reclamation, literacy practices, and knowledge production. She is also an educator, poet, and content creator whose work centers on Hmong language revalorization.
